Shoe with tapered rocker type midsole



SePt- 30, 1952 w. H. JOYCE, JR

sHoE WITH TAPERED RocKER -TYPE MIDsoLE 2 SHEETS-SHEET `l Filed Dec. 2, 1950 'lIlIlIl/rllllllllllllllll liz QM., MEM mm; V E IE Bd mm E* e am By #Trae/fs ys.

Sept. 30, 1952 ,w. H. JOYCE, JR 2,511,978

SHOE WITH TAPERED ROCKER TYPE MIDSOLE Filed Dec. 2, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 WML/AM Il. zoYcE, Ile.

IN V EN TOR.

, HUEB/vE/e BEEHLEE,

PVOQQEL ana HERZ/c4,

In the illustration Ik have shown a Wedge of cork and rubber composition I9 overlying which is a pad 2G of felt. This pad is preferably beveled at the toe as illustrated at 29. It is also sometimes desirable to interpose a very thin packing of soft felt between the cork and the upper surface of the outsole, as

illustrated at 2|.

The upper surface of the felt pad 20 is cemented to the under surface 22 of the heelwedge notch and itis preferable also that the felt pad 20 be cemented to the cork-rubber wedge I 9, and that the 'cork and thin felt padding 2I be cel ment-ed together.

4 'j rI"his composite make up of the platform structure is by 'way of illustration only. The heel portion and the sole portion may be formed from a single piece of material, or a cushioning pad exoverlie a heel wedge, as illustrated in Figure 2 of my United States Patent No. 2,067,963, or the pad if it is the full length of the platform may -.extend under the heel wedge. The height of the 'l heel wedge may be reduced accordingly depending upon the details of the platform.

, The important thing is that a platform construction be employed which involves a heel por- 4 tion tapering toward the shank of the shoe where it is joined to or merges with a sole portion which itself is tapered from the region of the ball to the toe.

' The platform structure is entirely enclosed around the edge by an edge covering 25 of rela- Vtending theentire length of the platform may. v

tively vthin material, an example of which would be the leather'or fabric of which the upper is made. "This edge covering is of the character illustrated and described in my prior patent referred to above and is formed with marginal 'edges 26 and 2I turned in over the upper and lower marginal surfaces, respectively, of the plat- 4Vform'structure and secured thereto by cementing or stitching, or both, or some other satisfactory `means, as for example by stapling or tasking if the nature of the material permits.

' There is thusprovided a covered midsole or platform which extends the entire length of the shoe and=corresponds generally in plan outline with the insole. However, it may be, if desired, somewhat larger than the insole outline. It incorporatesf'a heel portion of sufficient thickness to provide an elevation for the heel. The taperingof the heel portion toward the shank is relatively abrupt at the arch, `which is in the region of the shank of the shoe, and the tapering from `that region forwardto the ytoe is moregradual. There maybe a short section ofconstant thick,- l ness between the forward end of the heel wedge `and the ball areathe taper of the sole portion commencing atY the ball area.

I The outsole I3 is attached by cement to the bottom of the midsole and extends the'r entire ,length ofthe fmidsole, a conventional heel being eliminated. I havefound it desirable, however, to employ.: a rubber heel tip 28, Which'may be asume somewhat thicker than the major portion of the outsole.

The covered midsole as a unit, which may have the outsole cemented thereto, and which is originally flat, is spotted with cement to the upper and insole on ythe last, and pressure is applied in such a manner that a rocker form results, namely the midsole with its upper and the outsole at the bottom of the midsole curve upwardly toward the toe beginning at about the ball of the shoe. From this region rearwardly the outsole may lie in a flat plane or may be formed with an arch or a notch according to the style desired so long as theV platform in substance is retained. I prefer to use aV pressure pad 3G having the contour 3| illustrated, in conjunction with a last 32 which has an exaggerated toe spring as shown at 33. The spring of the last is slightly less than the corresponding curve on the pressure pad to provide forthe taper of theplatform in conjunction with the rocker shape. A water or air bag may be substituted for the pressure pad shown.' The pressure is maintained while the cement cures naturally or by induced means, and the shoe' is thus set vand will remain in the shape as lasted. 1

By way of example only, and not of limitation,

come measurements will bestated as taken from a Yshoe construction satisfactorily embodying the principles of "the invention.

In suchexample of a womans size 4t, theheel wedge l5 is approximately half the length of the platform, and the sole portion l is slightly more than half the length in order to fill the notch I8. The cork-rubber wedge I9 is about 1/4" thick throughout approximately the rear half of its length, and tapers to a fine edge terminating about 1/2" from the extreme toe end. The felt pad El), is about" l/g thick throughout ekce'ptat the toe end, the lasthalf inch or so being tapered to iig. The rocker surface 34 on the outsole rises approximately Pl'/8" from the horizontal plane 35 of the heel portion, Whereas the corresponding upper surface of the insole has a lesser spring due to the tapering ofthe wedge I9 and beveling of the pad 2i). These figures would vary according to size and style, and are subject to modication even in the size referred to,-so long as the principles of the invention are retained. `A K The differential in spring between the insole and outsole provided by the tapered platform enablesthe use of a full rocker bottom effect with'- out unduly elevating the toes-of the wearer.

While Ihave herein shown 'and descrlbedmy invention'in vwhat I have' conceived to b e the most practicaland preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may berm'ade therefroml within the scope of my invention,'which is not'to be limited to the ydetails disclosed herein butis to be` accorded the full scope of the claims so'as to embraceany and all equivalentshoe yconstruction and methods. l f The midsole or platform may be formed in two or more layers, each having itsrownedge covering, and being stepped from the Y,heel to the toe, without departing Vfrom the principle involved, so long as there is adequate cushioning in the ball region, a tapering in thickness of the oompositeplatform toward the toe (where little 4or no cushioning is needed) and the shoe is lasted .with a rocker bottom. Another variation within the scope of the-invention involves a midsole edge covering of crepe rubber or synthetic rubber Akwhichextends arounuzu-ie neel-lift and pad', and

instead of beingturned in over the heel lift and pad at the bottom, covers the edge of the outsole.

The essence of the invention resides in a shoe or slipper construction of a covered midsole or platform type which is cushioned in at least the sole portion and in which the midsole is tapered in thickness from at least the ball to the toe and the shoe is lasted with a rocker bottom from about the ball to the toe. The method of making the shoe wherein the originally ilat tapered midsole and outsole are lasted under pressure to the upper and insole and the pressure maintained while the cement cures, so that the shoe retains its rocker bottom form when removed from the last, is important from the manufacturing standpoint.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A covered midsole rocker type shoe construction comprising an upper attached to an insole, a midsole having a single circumferential lateral edge covered by an outer layer of material, said midsole being attached to the insole, and an outsole attached to the bottom of the midsole, said midsole comprising a forward midsole pad including cushioning material, the material.

of said pad substantially completely filling the space between said insole and said outsole forwardly of the ball region of said shoe, the forward portion of said midsole extending to the toe of said shoe and tapering in longitudinal thickness from the region of the ball toward the toe and both the upper and lower surfaces thereof being curved upwardly from the ball region forwardly, the bottom surface of said forward midsole portion curving upwardly more sharply than the upper surface thereof and sufficiently to provide exaggerated spring to said outsole.

2. In a shoe construction, a midsole having a single circumferential lateral edge covered by an outer layer of material, and an outsole attached to the bottom of the midsole, said midsole comprising a forward midsole pad including cushioning material, the material of said pad dening a body having an elongated generally rectangular transverse cross section, the forward portion of said midsole extending to the toe of said outsole and tapering inlongitudinal thickness from the region of the ball toward the toe and both the upper and lower surfaces thereof extending upwardly from the region of the ball forwardly, the bottom surface of said forward midsole portion extending upwardly more steeply than the upper surface thereof and sufficiently to provide exaggerated spring to said outsole.

3. In a shoe construction, a midsole having a single circumferential lateral edge covered by an outer layer of material, and an outsole attached to the bottom of the midsole, said midsole cornprising a exible laminated forward midsole pad having at least one lamination formed as a substantially continuous layer of cushioning material, the material of said pad defining a body having an elongated generally rectangular transverse cross section, the forward portion of said midsole extending to the toe of said outsole and tapering in longitudinal thickness forwardly from the region of the ball toward the toe and both the upper and lower surfaces thereof being curved upwardly forwardly from the ball region, the bottom surface of said forward' midsole portion curving upwardly more sharply than the upper surface thereof and suciently to provide exaggerated spring to said outsole.

WILLIAM I-I. JOYCE, Ja.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 670,068 Tourigny Mar. 19, 1901 1,088,328 Cucinotta Feb. 24, 1914 2,364,763 `Sutcliffe Dec. 12, 1944 2,422,947 Calderozzo June 24, 1947 2,521,464 Lathan Sept. 5, 1950 2,543,183 Maling Feb. 27, 1951 2,565,662 McMahon Aug. 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 873,809 France Apr. 7, 1942 879,115 France Nov. 10, 1942 

